Don't Judge a Book By it's Cover
by Sasha.Rizzoli
Summary: Can 8 year old Jane accept and become friends with the rich girl she meets?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Here is a new fic. If I get enough reviews, I'll try to update as quick as possible in my new busy schedule. So please read and review.**

**Disclaimer: Only own the fic. (C) x8xKrazee. Benson. Fanx8x**

* * *

><p><strong>Boston July 1981<strong>

"Jane! Wait up!" cried a four year old Frank Rizzoli Junior as he ran over the car park, in an attempt to catch up to his eight year old sister, Jane, as she sprinted for the playground that was up ahead. Their mother hadn't given them long to play before dinner.

When Jane reached the playground, she suddenly grind to a halt, causing Frankie to run into her when he had finally caught up to her, not being able to stop quick enough to avoid the collision.

The collision of the two Rizzoli children caused both kids to crash to the hard, grass covered ground.

"Wha? Jane! That hurt!" Frankie groaned as his older sister pushed him off of her, so that she could get up.

Dusting herself off lightly, she pointed over to the playground. "Look at that girl over there! Climbing on the playground!" Jane replied in utter disgust.

Frank Jr stood up and looked over at the girl that his sister was pointing out. "Yeah? What about her?"

"What she doing here? Look at her fancy smacy clothes!' Jane sneered, pointing out the girl's obviously expensive, fancy tartan dress and just as expensive, shiny black shoes. "She doesn't belong here!" she screeched and started to head over to the young girl.

Maura Elizabeth Isles had practically begged her nanny to take her to this random playground in South Boston instead of the usual one just a block from her home in Roxbury Heights.

Her nanny, Nicola, had asked, "Why?" with a furrowed eyebrow.

"Cause I don't fit in here," Maura had whispered sadly before running down her parents' mansion's long private driveway to her nanny's small red two door car.

Maura slid down a dirty, rusty fireman's pole before running and jumping back up on to the unpainted metal play equipment, this time heading for the graffiti covered slide. She was oblivious to the two local kids heading over to play until she had heard them fall, followed by them talking.

Maura smiled shyly and fixed up her caramel brown hair, making sure that she was presentable to meet new kids, who could potentially become new friends.

"Jane, no being mean or I'll tell Mommy!" Frankie warned as they approached the playground and the strange girl.

Jane groaned and turned to Frankie. "If you don't squeal to Ma, I'll do whatever you want for the rest of the day," she bribed her little brother.

Luckily for Jane, it actually worked.

Frankie Jr smiled a gappy smile. He'd lost a top front baby tooth the afternoon before. "You're on!" he giggled and ran toward the swings to play.

Jane smirked to herself as the rich, light brown haired girl walked shyly over to her. She looked to be about eight, just like Jane herself.

"Hi," the elegant girl spoke very politely, her skinny arms held together lightly behind her as she shyly smiled at the dark brown haired girl dressed in a black t-shirt and a pair of holey blue jeans, also a dirty pair of sneakers, which had a small hole near her big toe on the left foot. They appeared to have formerly been white shoes.

Maura could tell this girl was quite poor and very active. "I'm Maura," she softly introduced herself looking into chocolate brown eyes.

"Yeah?" Jane replied nonchalantly. Her tiny hands on her slightly chubby hips. "What of it?"

Maura looked down and bit her bottom lip, hurt. "Why are you being mean to me?" she asked sadly. Her voice almost inaudible.

"Cause you don't belong here, rich girl," Jane replied firmly, pointing at Maura, just about poking the upset girl in the chest. "Go back to where you belong, this is our playground, not yours!" she sneered before jumping on to the playground, on to the roof of it. "Yo Frankie!" Jane called to her little brother on the swing, pretending as if Maura wasn't there, crying beside the playground. "Come up here!" She laid back, enjoying the hot sun. She sighed. In less then a week, she'd be headed to Summer Camp for the rest of the Summer.

Hurt by the mean girl, Maura wiped her tears away with a sniffle as she walked over to her nanny, who put the newspaper, which she had been reading, down on the bench beside her.

She got up in an instant as Maura ran over to her. "Maura, what happened, sweetie?"

"That girl was so rude and mean to me. Please take me home," she requested through sobs. "I want to play with my chemistry set."

Nicola sighed. She'd had enough of seeing Maura being picked on and Mr and Mrs Isles were too busy to care or notice, so she was going to do something about it. She was going to see where the kids lived and talk to their parents.

Little Maura needed to stop being harassed. To fit in. To finally make some friends.

"Not yet, sweetie. I have a plan," the twenty-four year old nanny whispered, taking Maura's hands in hers. "Let's go sit in the car."

Looking at her little pink watch, Jane groaned. She and Frankie had to leave now otherwise they would be late for dinner and their mother would go nuts. She jumped off the roof of the playground. "Frankie, time to go," she mumbled unhappily.

Frankie groaned himself. He didn't want to go back home yet, their two year old brother, Tommy, would begin to drive him crazy again.

As the Rizzoli children walked the short distance back home, they didn't notice the small car driving slowly a short distance behind them.

"Jane?" Frankie asked, holding his big sister's hand.

"Yeah, Frankie?" she replied as they crossed the quiet street.

"Can you please make sure Tommy don't hurt me?"

Sighing, Jane rubbed the back of her little brother's hand with her thumb. "I'll try, little brother, I'll try," she promised.

They walked up the front path and walked into the house, to the smell of home-made Gnocchi.

"Ma, we're home!" Jane called as they walked up the hall toward the kitchen.

"Wash your hands and set the table!" Angela, their mother called back from the kitchen.

The kids grumbled back headed upstairs to the bathroom, just as the doorbell rang.

Angela put down the small toddler plate that she had in her hand and answered the door. "Hello? How can I help you?" she asked the strange young woman with a shy little girl.

"Are you the mother of the two children that just walked in here?"

"Yes. Why? What they do now?" Angela asked, furrowing her brow.

"Could we talk please?" the rich, young woman asked politely.

Angela sighed but nodded, letting the woman and child in. "Let's go into the living room. Jane! Frankie!"

"Just the girl please."

"Sure," Angela whispered before turning back to the stairs. "Just Jane! Jane, come here please!"

Angela had to admit that she wasn't surprised that Jane had done something. It wasn't the first time. She just wondered what it was this time and how long she was going to ground her this time.


	2. Chapter 2

**Don't Judge a Book By it's Cover Chapter 2**

**A/N: Here is chapter two. If the reviews keep coming in, I'll try to update again on Tuesday or Wednesday. So please read and review.**

**Disclaimer: Only own the fic. (C) x8xKrazee. Benson. Fanx8x**

* * *

><p>Jane walked into the living room confused to see the girl from the playground with the woman, who had been sitting on the bench reading. "Yeah, Ma?" she asked casually.<p>

"This young woman claims that you were being a bully at the playground, care to explain?" Angela asked in anger and disappointment, her hands on her hips.

Groaning, Jane put her hands on her own tiny hips. She wasn't about to let this girl control this situation and get her into trouble. She'd only been off of grounding for just over a week. How dare these two follow her home and tell on her.

"Nah, not really. I was just telling the truth," eight year old Jane answered coolly.

Angela Rizzoli was currently furious with her only daughter. "And what was that exactly?" she asked determined to know.

Leaning against the door frame, which joined the living room to the hall, the little stubborn brunette showered her lack of interest in the entire situation. She looked at the caramel brown haired girl and slowly found herself actually feeling sorry for her but she wasn't about to admit to it or verbalize it right now, at the risk of being seen as weak. "That she don't belong here!"

"Doesn't," Maura corrected her without realizing it until after it had already slipped out of her mouth.

The two adults and Jane looked at her, although Jane was more glaring then glancing. She hated to be corrected.

"Whatever!" she snapped. "You still don't belong here!"

Having enough, Jane walked away, although she just hid so she could watch and listen to what was going on.

She heard the strange woman say something before writing something on a small piece of paper and handing it to her mother. After that Jane hid in the closet under the staircase.

Angela walked the visitors out before calling up the stairs, thinking that her daughter was up there. "No dinner for you, Jane Angela Rizzoli! Stay in your bedroom!" She then went into the kitchen to finish serving up dinner.

Once Jane knew that it was safe, she sneaked out of the closet and tip-toed into the living room, up to the piano, where her mother had temporarily discarded the piece of paper. Upon very cautiously picking it up, Jane discovered that it was a telephone number and an address. An address all the way in Roxbury Heights. Biting her bottom lip, she slipped it into her pocket and sneaked up the staircase to her bedroom.

She very quietly closed the door behind her and sat down on her pink canopy bed by the window, to try formulate a plan.

Once Jane heard the television in the living room turn on with the night's baseball game on, she knew that she could safely sneak out of the house. She grabbed a little backpack, which she had packed with some items and very carefully maneuvered her way through the house and out the back door. Ever the little athlete, Jane jumped the fence and ran to the bus stop down the street, getting there just mere seconds before it pulled up.

It took nearly an hour and two buses but she finally made it to the address on the piece of paper.

Rizzoli gasped at the size of the place. It was a mansion. "Talk about rich," she muttered to herself as she walked up the long, peddle driveway to the three storey house.

On the second floor, Jane noticed a bedroom, which had a light on and the curtains wide open. Looking around, she found a vine held up by a wooden trellis. Jane climbed up very carefully and looked in through the window. Hoping that it was the girl's bedroom.

Inside, Maura was sitting on her bed, reading. Jane noticed that the book was very thick and it looked to be a textbook.

This girl had everything an eight year old could ever want and Jane couldn't help but feel envious.

Hearing a knock on the window, Maura jumped startled but then looked toward the window. She tilted her head when she saw Jane standing there. She couldn't believe her eyes.

Jane smiled shyly and mouthed, "Open the window, please."

With a sigh, Maura got up and opened up the window. "Can I help you?"

"Can I come in?" Rizzoli asked softly.

"Why?" Maura was skeptic about the whole situation.

"I know that I was mean to you and I'm sorry."

"Why didn't you say that when I was at your house?" Maura asked hurt.

Jane sighed. "Please can I come in?" she asked. "I promise that I'm not here to hurt you anymore then I already have."

With a groan, Maura nodded and sat back down on her bed.

Jane climbed in though the open window and sat down on the chair at what looked to be Maura's study desk.

"Well speak before my nanny returns," Maura said after a few minutes of uncomfortable silence.

"I'm sorry for being mean about who you are," Jane whispered, twiddling her thumbs.

"Why were you so mean to me? I just want to be your friend," the light brown haired girl informed her.

Looking back up at Maura, Jane sighed. "You've got everything. You live in a mansion. Why would you come to a playground so far away, that has broken bottles, dirty needles and graffiti everywhere?" Jane asked curiously.

Maura took a few slow, deep breaths to keep herself focused and calm. "Because I don't fit in here. I wanted to meet some kids in your area and try to make some friends." She was well spoken and polite for an eight year old and it shocked Jane.

Beginning to feel sorry for Maura, Jane gulped. She was now feeling incredibly guilty for being mean to her.

"Jane, it may look like I have everything but the truth is..." Maura sniffled quietly. "I don't have the love of my parents like you do. My nanny, Nicola, looks after me about ninety-five percent of the time."

"What?" Jane asked shocked again. "Where are your mom and dad all the time?"

Maura fidgeted as she watched Jane get up and walk over to her. Her hazel eyes still on Jane as she took a seat beside her on the bed. "They're always either working or on vacation. They're currently traveling through Europe right now," Maura explained, looking down at her small, elegant hands.

A moment passed in silence, which was comfortable this time, before Jane reached out and cupped Maura's chin, gently and turning it to face her. Jane was definitely feeling guilty by this point. Why had she picked on Maura? She knew what it felt like to be picked on.

Jane licked her lips before finally opening her mouth and saying her first ever truly sincere apology. "I'm really sorry for being mean to you. I should have given you a chance."

Sensing Jane's honesty, a small smile crept up on Maura's face. "It's... It's okay. I feel that we're going to be good friends." She yawned, exhaustion creeping up on her. "Stay?" she asked Jane, as she saw the taller and slightly thinner girl made a move to get up. She didn't want to be alone, she was tired of being alone.

Looking out at the darkness, Jane nodded, not worried about getting in more trouble for sneaking out. It was going to be worth it. "Yeah. But where am I going to sleep?"

Maura looked around her room before gently pulling Jane down beside her. She'd never shared her bed before but she didn't find anything wrong with it.

Jane stiffened momentarily before slowly relaxing and falling asleep before she knew it. Maura falling asleep seconds after. It has been a long day for the both of them.

Twenty minutes later, Maura's nanny walked in to tell her that it was now time for bed. Seeing Maura sound asleep with Jane, she smiled. "Maura finally made a friend," she whispered to herself and shut the bedroom window before heading back out of the bedroom to call Mrs Rizzoli, who was no doubtingly freaking out.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Here is chapter 3 finally. Sorry for the delay, life just got in the way. I hope you enjoy. Please read and review.**

**Disclaimer: Only own the fic and the nanny. © x8xKrazee. Benson. Fanx8x**

Two years past quickly for Jane and Maura. They grew to be best friends and were now inseparable.

Ten year old Maura stepped out of the passenger side of her nanny's car and walked up the path to the Rizzoli house. She sniffled as she pressed the doorbell.

Seeing Maura's nanny pull up in the driveway from her bedroom window, Jane ran out and slid down the staircase bannister to answer the door. Excited but surprised, she hadn't known that Maura was coming over.

"Mau..." Jane stopped stunned. "Wh... What's going on?" she asked worried, seeing her best friend sobbing on her front door step, with Nicola standing behind her.

She took Maura into her tiny arms and held her tight to her.

Maura willingly fell into her friend's welcoming arms and sobbed even more until she had finally calmed down enough to talk.

She pulled back a little to look into Jane's chocolate brown eyes. "I've known this since last night but I had to wait until after school..."

"Known what?" Jane interrupted before she could say any more. "What is going on, Maur?" She was beginning to freak out and she didn't like it one bit.

"My parents want to send me to boarding school... In France."

"What?" Jane cried. "No way! Not going to happen!" she told Maura adamantly. She was not about to lose her best friend now, especially after everything they had been through. It wasn't fair on either of them. "Where are they? Are they at home?'

Maura glanced at Jane stunned. Was Jane really going to talk to her parents? "Ye- yes. Why?"

"Cause I'm gonna give 'em a piece of my mind," Jane declared, giving Maura's hand a gentle reassuring squeeze.

"No, you're not," Angela informed her fearless daughter as she walked down the hall to the girls. She had overheard them talking.

"What? Why?" the younger Rizzoli demanded to know.

"Cause I'm going to," replied Angela. "There's milk and cookies in the kitchen for you. Off you go." She tapped Jane's bottom, gently pushing her into the direction of the kitchen, slightly smiling before turning to the nanny, who was now on the door step. "Could you please watch the girls while I go, Nicola?"

"Sure, Angela, not a problem," Nicola smiled, walking into the house as Angela walked out.

Arriving at the Isles' mansion, Angela knocked on the door and was clearly surprised to see Constance answer the door instead of the butler.

"Hello Angela," she greeted Mrs Rizzoli with a polite, posh smile, letting her in. "I guess you heard the news."

Angela walked in. Still nervous about the place after two years. "Yes, I have and both girls are absolutely distraught about it. You can't separate them, Constance," Angela pleaded as they took a sit in the very welcoming, modern living room. She tried to ignore the crystal chandelier as usual. "They've been through so much and they're so close. It would destroy the both of them," she insisted, trying to get her point across.

Constance was quiet as she took everything in and put everything together mentally. Eventually she sighed. "You're right, Angela, you're absolutely right. I can't do that to my daughter or to Jane, it wouldn't be right. I had never seen my baby so happy until she and Jane became friends. Tell Maura, she's staying, okay? And she can spend the night with Jane, if that's alright with you of course."

"Of course," Angela assured her instantly. "Thank you."

"No thank you, Angela." Constance got up with a smile. "I'll just pack Maura an overnight bag."

Sitting at the kitchen table back in the Rizzoli house, Maura took a sip of milk and looked at Jane.

"What if my parents still force me to go?" asked Maura in a sad near whisper.

Jane's head shot up and she gently took a hold of Maura's slightly smaller hand in hers. "Maur, my ma is good at this stuff," she assured her best friend confidently.

"What about if she can't fix it this time, Janie?"

Jane sighed and ate another bite of a cookie. How could she calm Maura down when she was freaking out herself?

Nicola moved away from the kitchen counter and walked over to Maura, who she'd looked after since she was two years old. She gently squeezed Maura's shoulder and placed a kiss on the crown of her head. "The only ones who can change your parents' minds are your parents, sweetie. Why don't you girls go play in Jane's room, huh?"

Both girls grumbled but slowly got up and headed upstairs to Jane's room to play.

Nicola sighed as she watched them head upstairs and ran a hand through her silky, wavy blonde hair. She really hoped that for the sake of Maura and Jane, that Angela could change Constance's mind.

Upon her return, Angela walked in to find Nicola pacing up and down the living room, deeply lost in thought.

Angela put Maura's overnight bag on the floor by the door. "Where are the girls?" she asked, looking around.

"They're playing in Jane's room," replied Nicola, trying to read Angela's body language but beginning to freak out again. "So what's the verdict, Angela?"

Smiling, Angela put a hand on Nicola's shoulder, giving it a gentle, reassuring squeeze. "Your job is safe, sweetie. You have the night off though. Relax, spend some time with friends."

Nicola finally smiled and collected her purse off the couch. "Thank you, Angela. Would you like me to pick Maura up in the morning?"

"Totally up to you, honey."

"Okay. Tell Maura I'll pick her up just after lunch tomorrow," Nicola said and headed for the front door. "Thanks again, Angela. See you tomorrow."

Walking Nicola to the door, Angela replied, "You're welcome, dear. See you tomorrow."

Mrs Rizzoli locked the door, grabbing Maura's bag and headed up the stairs to her daughter's bedroom to talk to the girls.

She found the door opened a jar and over heard the girls quietly chatting away, so Angela decided to knock, not wanting to accidentally startle them, it had been a rough day for them as it was.

"Come in," Jane softly called and instantly looked up at her mother as the door was slowly pushed fully open. The younger Rizzoli tried to read her mother's facial expressions but couldn't and it scared her. "Well, Ma?" she asked, her voice shaky.

Maura took the little brunette's hand in hers and held them tightly. She was just as frightened as Jane was. She couldn't bare the thought of losing her only friend, which was why she'd had barely any sleep the night before.

Finally Angel smiled. "You're staying, sweetie. No boarding school, and..." she put down Maura's bag. "You're staying the night."

Both girls excited by the results got up and cheered. They were so happy.


End file.
